The present invention relates to a pocket-size information transfer apparatus in which information such as electronic money, name cards and short text in the fixed form and the like is stored in an integrated circuit (IC) and the information is exchanged and an IC card using the apparatus.
As a technique of this kind, JP-A-6-20106discloses an electronic purse. The electronic purse includes two slots for inserting two IC cards and electronic money information is transferred between the two IC cards inserted into the two slots.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pocket-size information transfer apparatus easy to use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an IC card which is made small and used easily.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an IC card capable of utilizing electronic information included in another IC card even if electronic information stored in the IC card is lacking.
In order to achieve the objects of the present invention, according to a first aspect of the present invention, the pocket-size information transfer apparatus comprises two insertion slots provided at the owner side and the other party side and an IC card operation unit for reading and writing electronic information in respective IC cards inserted into the two insertion slots.
The two insertion slots in the pocket-size information transfer apparatus are different in the depth thereof and are structured so that the two IC cards inserted into the slots do not overlap each other or do overlap each other. The apparatus having the overlapped structure has a short length in the longitudinal direction thereof and is made small in structure.
The depth of one of the two insertion slots is substantially equal to the length of the inserted IC card and the depth of the other slot is made shorter than the length of the inserted IC card so that the IC card having the standard size and the IC card having the length shorter than the standard size IC card can be inserted into the apparatus.
The owner""s IC card is inserted into the insertion slot having a larger depth and the other party""s IC card is inserted into the insertion slot having a small depth, so that the owner of the apparatus can carry the apparatus while the IC card is inserted into the apparatus.
The IC card operation unit includes an operation portion having operation keys disposed at the surface of a substantially rectangular housing, a display unit for displaying information, and terminals formed in one side portion of the housing and connected to a modem to transmit and receive information from the outside. The operation keys include numerical keys and functional keys. Particularly, by providing alpha-numerical keys, when electronic information is inputted or outputted, item names can be recorded in the information transfer apparatus. When the electronic information stored in the IC card is money information, the information can be transferred from the terminals through the modem to a bank account. Further, when money is lacking, the money information can be read in the IC card from the bank account. In addition, the information transfer apparatus can be connected to a printer or a facsimile to print electronic information stored in the IC card.
The IC card operation unit includes a detection switch which abuts against an edge formed along a longitudinal direction of the IC card when the IC card is inserted into the insertion slot to thereby detect the IC card and for detecting a notch formed in one side extending along the longitudinal direction of the IC card. Accordingly, the IC cards of both types can be detected by the single detection switch.
Since the electronic information stored in the IC card includes money information containing item names expressing incomings and outgoings, name card information and short sentence information, there can be provided the pocket-size information transfer apparatus having wide extent of utilization.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the IC card is a combined IC card comprising a mini-IC card including integrated circuits (ICs) for storing at least electronic information and mounted in a board and an adapter plate for mounting said mini-IC card. Thus, when the electronic information stored in the IC card is lacking, the mini-IC card included in a portable telephone or another apparatus can be used as a temporary makeshift.
The combined IC card includes a recess formed in a predetermined position in the adapter plate and having the same external shape as that of the mini-IC card and a window hole formed in the recess through a step. The mini-IC card is fitted into the recess. Thus, the mini-IC card used as a temporary makeshift as described above can be removed easily by pushing the mini-IC card by a finger through the window hole.
The adapter plate of the combined IC card is shorter than the length in a longitudinal direction of a standard type IC card and includes a ridge formed in one side traversing the longitudinal direction and which is higher than the thickness of the combined IC card, so that two IC cards can be accommodated in the information transfer apparatus and since the ridge is provided, the IC card can be taken out easily.